On the evening of November 10, 2025, SG Wattenscheid 09 held its annual general meeting. And there was good news.
The event, held in the 09-Wohnzimmer on Berliner Straße, was attended by 114 voting members of SG Wattenscheid 09, and the Oberliga team led by head coach Christopher Pache was also present.
Georg Sokoll was able to report positive financial results this time. After posting a deficit of just under 105,000 euros the previous year, the club generated a revenue surplus of 96,958.36 euros last season.
This revenue surplus is offset by outstanding liabilities of 154,948.71 euros as of June 30, 2025. Among other things, SG 09 has succeeded in gradually paying off long-term liabilities. The current trend points toward a “balanced budget” by the end of the 2025/26 season.
A significant increase in revenue is particularly evident in the area of sponsorship. In addition to the expansion of its networks, the club’s ongoing professionalization in this area is also playing a role. With the lease-purchase of the new LED perimeter board at Lohrheidestadion—“powered by ImmoTec”—over four years for a six-figure sum—one of the largest investments in the club’s recent history—SG 09 has once again opened up new dimensions for the presentation and marketing of sponsors during home games.
Sporting success should lead to promotion to the Regionalliga in the near future
Regarding the sporting side of things, Richard Weber once again referred to the three-year plan. Following last year’s transitional season, the goal for the 2025/26 season remains a finish among the top six teams and thus direct qualification for the Westfalen Cup. “Of course, we want to stay in one of the two promotion spots for as long as possible!” Weber emphasized. The club aims to return to the Regionalliga West by next season at the latest. The club’s medium-term goal is to establish itself in this division.
An important signal for this path came directly from the team: Goalkeeper Joshua Mross extended his contract early and regardless of the league until 2027.
Dennis Helfer, head of youth development, also expressed satisfaction. Above all, the cooperation with the Knappenschmiede (FC Schalke 04’s youth academy) contributes to continuous development and the recruitment of new talent. The clubs work closely together in areas such as scouting and talent development.
This is reflected, among other things, in the performance of the youth teams: Last season, all teams maintained their league status, and the U17 team was also promoted to the Westfalenliga. Successes were also celebrated in the district cup and during the indoor city championships.
The new brand “09-Talentzeche” was created to ensure consistent and strong marketing for the youth department. Under this brand, which includes a unified social media presence, the youth teams will present themselves to the outside world in the future. With Ilias Anan, the youth department was also able to recruit an active first-team player as a technical coach.
An important factor in ensuring that match days run smoothly remains the volunteer commitment of numerous helpers within the club. Whether in the media team, catering, setup and takedown, or at the office: 65 volunteers contribute to club life with great dedication and passion—and the trend is still rising.
